Monday, August 6, 2018

“If I had no sense of humor, I would long ago have committed suicide.”

—Quote. Mahatma Ghandi, 1928.

Those who knew Ghandi well understood his sense of humor and that humor, “was one of his strongest features and one of the things people most liked and admired about him.”

“Whereas, it is fun to talk like a pirate by using words like Arrrrr, ye and bilge rat”

—Excerpt. International Talk Like a Pirate Day proclamation at Lake Worth City Commission on Sept. 19th, 2017 read by Lake Worth Mayor Pam Triolo.

Ghandi and bilge rats and silly proclamations!How did we get here?

Here’s how. Former Palm Beach Post reporter Willie Howard, on learning of the first annual International Talk Like a Pirate Day (ITLAPD) coming up on September 19th, 2012, reached out to a City resident who called ITLAPD, “juvenile, nonsensical — a day that might occur in a kindergarten class.”

Then Willie Howard in his 2012 article titled,“ ‘Talk like a pirate day’ in Lake Worthhas some up in arms” continued. . .

She [City resident] said the city should not waste time on such foolishness because it has serious problems. Bornstein [City Manager Michael Bornstein] responded in part with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi:

“If I had no sense of humor, I would long ago have committed suicide.”

“I’m so sorry you find this fun, silly proclamation anything more than that,” Bornstein wrote in his response to [former commissioner JoAnn] Golden. [emphasis added] “I could easily become consumed with a sense of over correctness in almost everything involved in government. However, I refuse to become devoid of all the wonderful human emotions including, most importantly, humor.”

Save the Date!

The 6th Annual ITLAPD in the City of Lake Worth is on Wednesday, September 19th.

In the preparations for ITLAPD — if this special event will likely upset you or cause one to act out by calling it “juvenile” or “nonsensical” or calling it a day “that might occur in a kindergarten class” — please remember that Modern Health Concepts has a new medical marijuana dispensary here in the City of Lake Worth. Call 877-303-0741 or visit 1125 N. Dixie Hwy., stop in and say “Hi!”

Here is text of the ITLAPD proclamation at the City Commission on September 19th, 2017:

PROCLAMATION

Whereas, old pirate culture from the Caribbean is
popular in TV shows, movies, literature, products, and rafting; andWhereas, pirates are colorful, adventurous, mischievous and flamboyant;
andWhereas, two re-enactors, John Bauer and Mark Summers instituted
International Talk Like A Pirate Day in 1995; andWhereas, humorist Dave
Barry liked the idea so much he promoted it in his nationally
syndicated column in 2002, igniting a powder keg of followers worldwide;
andWhereas, it is fun to talk like a pirate by using words like
Arrrrr, ye and bilge rat; andWhereas, everyone would like to think they
have a little bit of pirate spirit inside of themselves.NOW,
THEREFORE, I, Pam Triolo, Mayor of the City of Lake Worth, Florida, by
virtue of the authority vested in me, do hereby proclaim:SEPTEMBER 19,
2017 as INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY and urge all citizens of
Lake Worth as well as all the less worthy sailors and scalawags in
other communities to celebrate in a hearty and fun loving way on
September 19th!IN WITNESS WHEREOF,I have set my hand and caused the
Seal of the City of Lake Worth, Florida to be affixed this 19th day of
September, 2017.______________________Pam Triolo, Mayor ATTEST